lighting for a 55gal

Mullsie · 07-09-2003, 03:55 AM

Currently I have a 55gal with a single 48' 40watt Aquaglow tube. It keeps my swords and anubas alive and growing very slowly.
Anyway I want to get my lighting up to about 2-2.5watts per gallon. Rather than paying $30 (AUS) each for one or two more globes plus a doulbe light fitting from the LFS for $100 I wanted to expore some cheaper options.
I live in Australia so I can't go to home deport but I can go to our equivalent. What sort of lights are good for planted tanks besides the ones available in the LFS?
In short what am I looking for?

**GulfCoastAquarian** · 07-09-2003, 12:56 PM

You're looking for standard office lighting type fixtures that hold either a single pair or two pairs of standard 40 watt tubes. They're usually very cheap.
The 40 watt F40T12 or 32 F32T8 tubes are easy to find in "daylight" spectrums and you might even find "Aquarium" tubes at your local Home Improvement warehouse such as the Osram/Sylvania Gro-Lux series.

m.lemay · 07-09-2003, 09:42 PM

No Home Depot ??? You poor deprived soul. :cry:

Marcel

Mullsie · 07-10-2003, 12:12 AM

Thanks, that's what I was after. I'm going to head out this weekend and I'll let you know what I come back with.

No home deport, but I think where I'm going is roughly the same if maybe a little smaller in scale.

Mullsie · 07-13-2003, 06:02 AM

I got a 48' double fixture yesterday. I also found they, (Bunning's) had aquarium tubes for about 2/3rd's the price of the LFS. I'm going to put my dad to work making a hood and wiring it up, after all you have to give the retirees something to do.....

All in all I got the lot for about 40% of the price the LFS wanted. I have to do some DIY but I can handle that especially if someone else is doing the DIY.

07-09-2003, 12:56 PM	#2
GulfCoastAquarian Planted Tank VIP (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,577	You're looking for standard office lighting type fixtures that hold either a single pair or two pairs of standard 40 watt tubes. They're usually very cheap. The 40 watt F40T12 or 32 F32T8 tubes are easy to find in "daylight" spectrums and you might even find "Aquarium" tubes at your local Home Improvement warehouse such as the Osram/Sylvania Gro-Lux series. __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

07-09-2003, 09:42 PM	#3
m.lemay Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Naugatuck, CT. Posts: 2,647	No Home Depot ??? You poor deprived soul. :cry: Marcel __________________ FILSTAR Pimp #2 75 gal heavily planted,50/50 Black beauty,Eco-complete substrate, Pressurised CO2 with solenoid, ph controller, AB Reactor 1000, 330 watts 9325K GE PC lighting,Ehiem Liquidoser, 2-Filstar xp3 canisters.

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07-09-2003, 03:55 AM	#1
Mullsie Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 22	Currently I have a 55gal with a single 48' 40watt Aquaglow tube. It keeps my swords and anubas alive and growing very slowly. Anyway I want to get my lighting up to about 2-2.5watts per gallon. Rather than paying $30 (AUS) each for one or two more globes plus a doulbe light fitting from the LFS for $100 I wanted to expore some cheaper options. I live in Australia so I can't go to home deport but I can go to our equivalent. What sort of lights are good for planted tanks besides the ones available in the LFS? In short what am I looking for?

07-10-2003, 12:12 AM	#4
Mullsie Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 22	Thanks, that's what I was after. I'm going to head out this weekend and I'll let you know what I come back with. No home deport, but I think where I'm going is roughly the same if maybe a little smaller in scale.

07-13-2003, 06:02 AM	#5
Mullsie Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Sydney Posts: 22	I got a 48' double fixture yesterday. I also found they, (Bunning's) had aquarium tubes for about 2/3rd's the price of the LFS. I'm going to put my dad to work making a hood and wiring it up, after all you have to give the retirees something to do..... All in all I got the lot for about 40% of the price the LFS wanted. I have to do some DIY but I can handle that especially if someone else is doing the DIY.